CHAP. YJ.J Letter to her Niece. 245 



MISS HERSCHEL TO MRS. HERSCHEL. 



HANOVER, May 14, 1831. 



! my dearest niece, where shall I find words which can 

 express my thanks to you for writing me such an interesting 

 letter, at a moment when you were suffering from indis- 

 position ! 



***** 



May 18tk. Dear niece, how are you now ? I hope so far 

 w r ell enough to read what I think necessary to say in answer 

 to yours of May 2nd. I was glad to see that you think the 

 table-linen pretty, but I tremble on seeing that you puzzle 

 yourself about sending me anything in return. Nothing 

 would distress me more than Deceiving anything from 

 England besides such dear letters as I have hitherto been 

 blessed with, for I am provided with even more than is 

 necessary to appear in the best circle of society, whenever 

 my feebleness will permit me to go from home, and I feel no 

 small regret at leaving so many good things among those 

 who do not want it, or ever cared for me. Now, this is once 

 for all ! and you have nothing to do but to go by what dear 

 Herschel says he knows me, I see, better than I thought 

 he did. 



1 have something to remark about what you call my 

 letters, which were to be deposited in the letter case. I 

 was in hopes you would have thrown away such incoherent 

 stuff, as I generally write in a hurry at those moments when 

 I am sick for want of knowing how it looks at home, and 

 not to let it rise in judgment against my, perhaps, bad 

 grammar, bad spelling, &c., for to the very last I must feel 

 myself walking on uncertain grounds, having been obliged 

 to learn too much without any one thing thoroughly ; for 

 my dear brother William was my only teacher, and we began 

 generally with what we should have ended ; he, supposing 



